Tragedy struck on Mount Everest as two foreign climbers lost their lives during their summit attempts on the world’s highest peak, according to reports from Nepal.
The deceased climbers have been identified as Subhrata Ghosh, a 45-year-old from India, and Philip Dom Santiago, also 45, from the Philippines.
Ghosh successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest (8,849 meters / 29,032 feet) but tragically passed away during his descent at the perilous Hillary Step, a location situated in the so-called “Death Zone”—the area above 8,000 meters where oxygen levels are dangerously low and the human body cannot survive for long.
According to Snowy Horizon Treks and Expedition, the company managing his climb, Ghosh reportedly refused to descend, which may have contributed to his death. Efforts are currently underway to retrieve his body to base camp, and the exact cause of death will be confirmed following a postmortem.
Meanwhile, Philip Dom Santiago died at the South Col, a high-altitude camp on the way to the summit. Officials from Nepal’s Department of Tourism said Santiago collapsed in his tent due to extreme exhaustion and passed away before help could arrive.
This climbing season, Nepal has issued 459 Everest permits, with over 100 climbers and their guides having successfully reached the summit so far.
In contrast to the tragic news, Pakistani mountaineer Sajid Ali Sadpara made headlines recently by summiting the seventh-highest peak, Dhaulagiri, without supplemental oxygen, in a historic and daring solo ascent. Dhaulagiri, also located in Nepal, is known for its dangerous conditions and is considered a major challenge in the world of mountaineering.
